The invention relates to apparatus for controlling the electrolyte level and the electrolyte concentration of fuel cell batteries.
In the generation of electric energy with hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells and batteries, water which dilutes the electrolytic liquid is produced as a reaction product. For continuous operation of such current generators, i.e., fuel cells and batteries, it is therefore necessary to remove the reaction water formed from the electrolytic liquid, i.e., to deplete the reaction water. The duration of carrying out removal of the reaction water and the quantity of the reaction water depleted are generally controlled by density or concentration measuring equipment, conductivity meters or level indicators. However, a common characteristic of all these arrangements is that they are error prone and trouble prone and that, in addition, they employ switching elements which must be actuated through a control unit which consumes energy. This, however, lowers the efficiency of the current generators.
In view of these problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus by means of which the concentration and the tank level of the electrolytic liquid of fuel cell batteries can be kept constant in a simple manner without consuming any electrical energy.